Author Topic: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project  (Read 3408987 times)

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Offline robimarko

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #475 on: June 08, 2014, 02:32:59 pm »
I asked and seller has no idea,he just verified that it has socketed Atmega328,so i will be able to update it if it comes with old version
 

Offline eevbstedt

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #476 on: June 08, 2014, 04:03:20 pm »
I asked and seller has no idea ...
Thanks for doing that and the feedback.  At least that seller is honest!  :)
 

Offline amtpdb

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #477 on: June 08, 2014, 06:34:21 pm »
Will any of these take measurements in circuit? I have been trying to follow the thread but get lost with all the jumping around. Is it that none of these will until you update the firmware? There are some of the responses that say to add parts. I am sure that you can't add the same parts to everyone of these or do you? I wish there was a simple answer as to which one to buy, then update like this, and add these parts and you will have a all working in circuit tester. Sorry but I get where I think I understand and then someone comes up with something else and then I am lost. I am just a nube and need some help.
Thanks for any answers.
Don https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/bangheadonwall.gif
 

Offline AintBigAintClever

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #478 on: June 08, 2014, 06:52:00 pm »
The trouble with in-circuit testing is that you're not just testing the component, you're testing the component in parallel with all the other gubbins that's connected across the same pins. Whatever result you get, I don't think you can trust it.
 

Offline robimarko

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #479 on: June 08, 2014, 07:47:57 pm »
I think that only thing that you can measure in circuit is ESR of caps,hope that I am not wrong
 

Offline madires

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #480 on: June 08, 2014, 08:00:39 pm »
Will any of these take measurements in circuit?

The current firmware (from the project's web site) supports in-circuit capacitance and ESR measurements.
 

Offline amtpdb

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #481 on: June 08, 2014, 08:08:23 pm »
Thanks for the replies. Now, which one would be a good low price one that can use the latest updates and how about someone showing some ways to do the update for the rest of us that are not sure how to do it. In my case I have not updated firmware in a while on anything even though I have several different units to do the updates. As I remember, it gets confusing as you have to get the computer to talk and recognize the updater and then there are several different programs to use and they are all different. A simple YouTube video for updating these cards would be great. I don't have a lot of money to just waste buying different ones until I find one that works, so suggestions would be great!
Thanks again.
Don
 

Offline madires

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #482 on: June 08, 2014, 08:11:15 pm »
The trouble with in-circuit testing is that you're not just testing the component, you're testing the component in parallel with all the other gubbins that's connected across the same pins. Whatever result you get, I don't think you can trust it.

Of course the circuit around the cap will influence the result, but it's sufficient to get a ballpark figure. I've tested a lot of circuits while writing the code for the in-circuit ESR measurement of the m-firmware and in most cases the values were off by about 10% at maximum. I was a little bit suprised since I was expecting a larger difference.
 

Offline madires

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #483 on: June 08, 2014, 08:38:19 pm »
Thanks for the replies. Now, which one would be a good low price one that can use the latest updates and how about someone showing some ways to do the update for the rest of us that are not sure how to do it. In my case I have not updated firmware in a while on anything even though I have several different units to do the updates. As I remember, it gets confusing as you have to get the computer to talk and recognize the updater and then there are several different programs to use and they are all different. A simple YouTube video for updating these cards would be great. I don't have a lot of money to just waste buying different ones until I find one that works, so suggestions would be great!
Thanks again.
Don

Any clone with an ATmega328 and a 2*16 LCD module is fine. For updating the firmware you can use an inexpensive ISP programmer, even an Arduino. If possible please add an ISP header to the tester. Otherwise you would have to breadboard something, First, you download the current firmware, update Makefile and config.h to match your hardware and compile the firmware. AVR Studio or avr-gcc are recommended. Then you use the ISP programmer to flash the firmware including the EEPROM. I'm using the Diamex ALL-AVR with avrdude under Linux for example (just a simple 'make upload').
 

Offline robimarko

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #484 on: June 08, 2014, 09:13:16 pm »
If you need to update MAKEFILE and config.h that will stop me from updating because i am not really into microcontroller programming
 

Offline amtpdb

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #485 on: June 08, 2014, 09:17:20 pm »
If you need to update MAKEFILE and config.h that will stop me from updating because i am not really into microcontroller programming

I will go you one better, I don't know what that is or how to do it! That is one reason I was hoping someone would make a video on it!
Don
 

Offline madires

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #486 on: June 08, 2014, 09:33:13 pm »
If you need to update MAKEFILE and config.h that will stop me from updating because i am not really into microcontroller programming

Karl-Heinz provides some compiled firmwares of the current version for standard setups in the SVN repo. Anyway, it's a good idea to learn about MCUs and tool chains.
 

Offline madires

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #487 on: June 08, 2014, 09:48:12 pm »
I will go you one better, I don't know what that is or how to do it! That is one reason I was hoping someone would make a video on it!
Don

There are tons of videos about programming ATmegas. Those also apply to the Transistortester. Please see

for an example with an arduino used as programmer.
 

Offline retrolefty

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #488 on: June 08, 2014, 10:03:16 pm »
Thanks for the replies. Now, which one would be a good low price one that can use the latest updates and how about someone showing some ways to do the update for the rest of us that are not sure how to do it. In my case I have not updated firmware in a while on anything even though I have several different units to do the updates. As I remember, it gets confusing as you have to get the computer to talk and recognize the updater and then there are several different programs to use and they are all different. A simple YouTube video for updating these cards would be great. I don't have a lot of money to just waste buying different ones until I find one that works, so suggestions would be great!
Thanks again.
Don

Any clone with an ATmega328 and a 2*16 LCD module is fine. For updating the firmware you can use an inexpensive ISP programmer, even an Arduino. If possible please add an ISP header to the tester. Otherwise you would have to breadboard something, First, you download the current firmware, update Makefile and config.h to match your hardware and compile the firmware. AVR Studio or avr-gcc are recommended. Then you use the ISP programmer to flash the firmware including the EEPROM. I'm using the Diamex ALL-AVR with avrdude under Linux for example (just a simple 'make upload').

What fuse byte values does your project use? The firmware does not include that information, most likely embedded in the makefile?

 

Offline madires

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #489 on: June 08, 2014, 10:13:57 pm »
What fuse byte values does your project use? The firmware does not include that information, most likely embedded in the makefile?

Yep, the Makefile supports several ATmega types in different configurations. Basically the default values are used and just the clock source and clock divider need to be changed.
 

Offline Hydrawerk

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #490 on: June 09, 2014, 12:14:04 am »
Here is schematic and PCB of my version of component tester.
I use the firmware made by Karl Heinz Kübbeler.
« Last Edit: June 10, 2014, 12:28:03 am by Hydrawerk »
Amazing machines. https://www.youtube.com/user/denha (It is not me...)
 

Offline amtpdb

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #491 on: June 09, 2014, 01:18:55 am »
Thanks for the schematic.
Don
 

Offline Hydrawerk

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #492 on: June 10, 2014, 12:25:57 am »
Well, I made just some minor changes. Karl Heinz Kübbeler has the credits, he has done the whole job.
Amazing machines. https://www.youtube.com/user/denha (It is not me...)
 

Offline jimjam

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #493 on: June 11, 2014, 06:00:31 pm »
Here is schematic and PCB of my version of component tester.
I use the firmware made by Karl Heinz Kübbeler.
Thank you! Can you tell me:

- What software did you use to draw the diagram and create the PCB layout?
- a noob question: how did you then create the PCB?
-  What are the differences / advantages does this have vs the $20 Chinese version?

This looks like it's going to take a looooong time to create, from doing the PCB, buying the parts etc.... The parts alone will cost far more than $20 :) Probably cheaper to buy a real LCR meter, although this seems cooler :)
 

Offline Hydrawerk

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #494 on: June 12, 2014, 01:07:06 am »
Thank you! Can you tell me:
A) - What software did you use to draw the diagram and create the PCB layout?
B) - a noob question: how did you then create the PCB?
C) -  What are the differences / advantages does this have vs the $20 Chinese version?

D) - This looks like it's going to take a looooong time to create, from doing the PCB, buying the parts etc.... The parts alone will cost far more than $20
A) I used Eagle Version 5.11.0 from http://www.cadsoftusa.com/eagle-pcb-design-software/?lang=en
B) It was made at my university in semi-professional way. I paid for it.

C) You can use a single layer PCB. Two types of LCD connectors are possible. There is added a reset button and a status LED, that indicates that the MCU is alive even if LCD is wrong or absent. You can use a 7V to 15V ac adaptor and there is an ovevoltage protection. On the other hand, my version needn't be neccesarily better than the Chinese one, I just built it according to my needs.

D) Well, it took a long time, but it is my hobby. Somebody gave me that metal housing and old LCDs so I did not have to pay for them.
Amazing machines. https://www.youtube.com/user/denha (It is not me...)
 

Offline Hydrawerk

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #495 on: June 12, 2014, 01:09:41 am »
Probably cheaper to buy a real LCR meter, although this seems cooler :)
I already have that CEM DT-9935. https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/cheap-lcr-meter-cem-dt-9935/
Amazing machines. https://www.youtube.com/user/denha (It is not me...)
 

Offline Richard Crowley

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #496 on: June 16, 2014, 05:40:43 am »
I apologize that I didn''t slog through all 495 previous posts in this thread.
But I just received a kit from an Ebay vendor and at first inspection, it looks good.
However, there is no documentation, even a schematic diagram.
Is the board layout and schematic diagram available online somewhere?
A quick Google search didn't reveal anything promising.

I am going to be asking the  Ebay vendor also, but they appear to sell everything from soup to nuts and they don't appear to be much into electronics.
 

Offline madires

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #497 on: June 16, 2014, 11:22:15 am »
However, there is no documentation, even a schematic diagram.
Is the board layout and schematic diagram available online somewhere?
A quick Google search didn't reveal anything promising.

You'll find the official documentation at http://www.mikrocontroller.net/svnbrowser/transistortester/Doku/tags/ (select the directory and click "Download GNU tarball"). The clones vary in their layouts, but mostly follow the schematic in the documentation.
 

Offline madires

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #498 on: June 16, 2014, 11:49:27 am »
New features in the current k-firmware:
- support of encoder with push button for the UI
- support of graphical 128x64 LCD module based on ST7565
- frequency measurement
 

Offline firewalker

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #499 on: June 16, 2014, 01:42:01 pm »
Nice!

I was looking to add support for Nokia's 84x48 gLCDs (PCD8544 based). Those modules are really cheap. I guess it will be easier now.

Alexander.
Become a realist, stay a dreamer.

 


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